Windows 11 Keeps Installing the Same Update? 6 Ways to Fix it

Microsoft regularly releases Windows 11 updates to address security vulnerabilities, improve system stability, fix bugs and glitches. These updates help ensure that users have a secure and optimized operating system, enhancing the overall performance and user experience. However, at times, you may notice Windows 11 Keeps Installing the Same Update over and over. This usually happens if some update has not installed properly, and your Windows operating system is unable to detect the installed or partially installed update. This article explores why Windows 11 Keeps Reinstalling the Same Update and how to fix it.

Why Windows 11 offering the same Update?

Windows 11 installing the same update could be very frustrating, especially if your PC has limited resources. The most common reason why Windows 11 keeps reinstalling the same update is that the update installation failed or was corrupted. This can happen due to various factors, such as power outages, network interruptions, malware infections, or incompatible software.

When this happens, Windows 11 will try to download and install the update again in the next restart, hoping that it will succeed this time. However, if the underlying problem is not resolved, the update may fail again and create a loop of endless updates.

• Sometimes, certain updates may not be compatible with your system configuration, leading to installation failures and subsequent reinstallation attempts.
• Corrupted or incomplete update files can trigger a cycle of failed installations, prompting Windows to try again and again.
• Third-party software or drivers may conflict with the update, causing it to fail consistently.
• The update has a compatibility issue with your hardware or software, and Windows 11 cannot apply it.

Depending on the cause of the problem, there are different solutions that you can try to fix Windows 11 keeps reinstalling the same update.

Restart windows 11

When Windows 11 encounters difficulties installing a specific update, it may be due to temporary bugs or glitches in the system. Restarting helps eliminate these issues and allows the update process to start afresh.

Restarting a Windows 11 computer is easy,

1. Click on the “Start” button in the bottom left corner of your screen.
2. Click on the power icon.
3. Select “Restart.” This will restart your Windows 11 PC.

Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Another solution is to run Windows Update Troubleshooter, a built-in tool that can diagnose and fix common problems with Windows Update. This may help if the update has a compatibility issue or a bug that prevents it from installing correctly.

The roubleshooter automatically detect and fix common problems with Windows Update.

• Press Windows key + I to open settings,
• Go to system then Troubleshoot and click on Other troubleshooters,
• Click Run next to Windows Update and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Let’s complete the Windows Update Troubleshoot process, once done reboot your PC.

Clear the Software Distribution Folder

This is the temporary folder that stores files related to Windows Update. If the folder contains outdated or corrupted files that interfere with Windows Update. Clear all the components from the SoftwareDistribution folder, force download fresh files from the Microsoft server and fix most of the Windows update problems on your PC.

Deleting the SoftwareDistribution folder forces Windows to recreate it, which can resolve issues related to update installations.

• Press Windows key + S, type cmd, and select run as administrator.
• Run command net stop wuauserv and net stop bits to stop Windows update and background intelligent transfer service (BITS).

• Next press the Windows key + I to open File Explorer, and navigate C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
• Within the SoftwareDistribution folder, press Ctrl + A to select all the files and folders, and Press Shift + Delete to remove them.

Now run the command net start wuauserv and net start bits to start Windows update and its related service.

That’s it! After making the changes, restart your Windows 11 computer. This should fix Windows 11, which keeps installing the same update repeatedly.

Reset Windows Update components

Also, you should try reset Windows Update components, which are essential for downloading and installing updates. This may help if the components are corrupted or misconfigured, causing Windows Update to malfunction.

• Press the Windows key + R, type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as administrator.
• Next, run the command net stop wuauserv to stop the Windows Update service.
• The net stop bits command stops Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• In addition, run net stop cryptsvc and net stop msiserve to stop Cryptographic Services and Windows Installer service.

Type ren %windir%\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old and press Enter to rename Catroot2 folder. Then ren %windir%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old and press Enter to rename SoftwareDistribution folder

Once done, restart the Windows update and related services using the following command.

• net start wuauserv
• net start cryptSvc
• net start bits
• net start msiserver

After executing all these commands, restart your Windows 11 PC and check for updates again.

Check for System File Corruption

If Windows 11 still keeps offering or installing the same update over and over it may be because Corrupted system files interfere with the update process. Use the System File Checker (SFC) tool to scan and repair corrupted files.

• Type in Command Prompt on Windows 11 Search, right-click on the Command Prompt & select Run as administrator.
• Type: sfc /scannow and press Enter, Wait for the scan to complete and follow any on-screen instructions to repair files.
• If the System File Checker utility returns an error, execute the DISM restore health Command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Once the scanning is complete 100%, reboot your computer and try to check for Windows update again.

Remove the problematic update

This may help if the update was not installed properly or completely, or if it was corrupted or damaged. Note down the KB number of the update that keeps installing, for example KB1234567, uninstall it by following steps and try to manually install the update from the Microsoft update catalog.

• Click on the Windows Start button and select Settings.
• Go to Windows Update, and click on the Update History.
• Now scroll down to the Related Settings and click Uninstall updates.
• Now, find the problematic update and click the Uninstall button beside it.

• Restart your PC to completely remove the problematic update from your device.
• Now visit the Microsoft Update Catalog website.
• Search for the KB number and download the update. Install the update manually.

Sometimes, malware infections can interfere with Windows Update and cause it to fail or behave erratically. You should use reliable antivirus software to scan your system for any malicious programs and remove them if found.

Again, some software applications may conflict with Windows Update and cause it to fail or reinstall repeatedly. You should check if you have any software that is known to cause problems with Windows Update and uninstall or update it if possible. You can find a list of some common incompatible software here.

If none of the above solutions work for you, you may need to contact Microsoft support for further assistance. They may be able to diagnose and fix the problem remotely or guide you through some additional steps.